Hwajeonga: Spring Picnic
06 Aug, 2020~
23 Aug, 2020
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Venue
Myeongdong Theater
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Genre
Theater
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Show Time
Weekdays 19:30ㅣWeekends 15:00ㅣNo performance on Tuesday
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Tickets
R 50,000KRW | S 35,000KRW | A 20,000KRW
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Duration
140mins
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Enquiry
cs@ntck.or.kr
Language Korean
※ English subtitles will be provided on every Thursday and Sunday.
Age Restriction Suitable for ages 14 and over
* Please ensure you arrive 30mins before the program time. The box office can be busy and you may need to queue.
* We will endeavor to admit latecomers at the first suitable opportunity, which may be the interval. For some Events late admission cannot be guaranteed.
* Re-entry is mostly NOT allowed. In an exceptional case of re-entering, you may be seated in alternate seat locations to avoid disruption of the performance.
* The discount on tickets will only be available when presented with the necessary papers or documents. Tickets have to be paid in full when they are not presented.
A Song that Evokes Beautiful Memories of Today
Hwajeonga: Spring Picnic
As the vitality of the spring season gently strokes people on both cheeks, nine women from Mrs. Kim’s household gather together and go on a picnic unexpectedly. They dress up to the nines and prepare delicious food. At the same time however, the women bid farewell to their loved ones and wait for those who never return. They’ve had to endure wounds of life time and again, and yet hold on to the beauty of daily existence. Without turning into weeping sores, their stories pervade our minds and make us take to heart memories of today that may disappear into history—just like that day in April 1960 when they sang together with the Korean War looming on the horizon.
Synopsis
From forsythias to cornelian cherry flowers, various wild plants are busy showing off their beautiful colors, but Mrs. Kim’s household remains forlorn. The day before her sixtieth birthday, other family members arrive one by one from all over the country, and soon the house comes alive with the sound of their voices. That evening, Mrs. Kim hears bells ringing in the distant and suggests that they go on a spring picnic instead of throwing a lavish banquet: “Let us dress up and go on a picnic. We’ll see flowers in bloom and sing together. Just one day of the year reserved for enjoying hwajeon.”
Written by Bae Sam-sik
Since his debut as a playwright in 1998, Bae Sam-sik has made his mark across different genres—original plays, stage adaptations, and musicals. As one of the most celebrated playwrights of our time, Bae has won all the major theater prizes in Korea, including Dong-A Theatre Award, Kim Sang-yeol Drama Award and Cha Beom-seok Award for Best Play. Previously, his original plays Snow in March and 1945 have been staged by the National Theater Company of Korea.
Directed by Lee Sung-youl
(Artistic Director of National Theater Company of Korea)
In 1996, Lee Sung-youl established Theater Company Baeksu—a community for experimental theatre—where he serves as both President and Executive Director. In November 2017, Lee was appointed Artistic Director of the National Theater Company of Korea. Built upon his delicate directing style, Lee’s works present profound explorations of human nature. He continues to seek points of contact between theatre and the realities of contemporary society.
